Bookmark



F. S. BALDWIN Dec. 1, 1964 BOOKMARK Filed Feb. 11, 1963 INVENTOR.

FURMAN S. BALDWIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent ice 3,159,137 BOOKMARKFurman S. haidwin, 9i) Euclid Ave., Kenmore 17, NY. Filed Feb. 11, 1963,Ser. No. 257,496 1 Claim. (Cl. 116-419) This invention relates tobookmarks, and has for one of its objects to provide a bookmark ofsimple form which will function with improved ease and facility comparedto prior devices for similar purposes.

Thus, a primary object is to provide a bookmark device which will belifted automatically with improved facility simply upon turning over thepage, and which will automatically return into place on the nextunderlying page without assistance from the reader and/or the forces ofgravity. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide a bookmark, of thecharacter described, which is made of inexpensive material, yet which isdurable and transparent so as to avoid obliteration of printed materialat the top of the pages to be marked, when the device is lapped over thetop ends of the pages. 7

Another object is to provide a marking device whereby the marked pagemay be easily turned and slipped from under the mark without damage ofmutilation of the page.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the specificationhereinafter and with reference to the accompanying drawing; in whichFIG. 1 is a perspective view showing my bookmark in operation;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detached perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my bookmark fastened to abook back cover;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the movement of my bookmark as a page is turned.

As illustrated in the drawing herewith, my bookmark comprises a devicehaving a resilient tongue portion formed of transparent plasticmaterial, and a detachable fastening device 12 which is less flexiblethan the tongue 10. The fastening device 12 will also be preferably ofplastic (thicker and stiffer) but may be formed of any other material,as may be preferred. The resilient tongue or finger portion 19 isarc-shaped in side view as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5. The fasteningdevice 12 in this instance is shown as being in the form of a clipcomprising an outside frame portion and a central tongue 14, formedintegral therewith at one end. Thus the parts may be spread andslip-fitted over the edge of the book back cover, whereupon thespring-like characteristics of the tongue 14 operates to hold the devicein place.

When mounted over the top edge of the back cover (or rear pages) of abook as explained hereinabove, the

device will bedisposed so that the resilient tongue portion.

10 rests lightly upon the page being marked, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3.Single pages may then be easily turned (FIG. 5) against the only slightforce exerted by the member 10, which is in fact only sufficient toinsure that the member 10 will fall back into page marking positionafter each page is turned. Thus, the book pages are 3,159,137. PatentedDec. 1, 1964 such as limp leather bookmarks which obscure the print ingthereunder and must be manually guided into operative position; as wellas prior bookmark devices of the spring clip type which also obliteratethe printing therebeneath and tend to mutilate the book pages as well asbeing the source'of a nuisance to the user because of theirinterferences with free turning of the pages. Thus, it will beappreciated that the bookmark of the present invention provides a degreeof convenience for the user not found in any bookmark of the prior art,while at the same time being of extremely simple and inxpenseivefabrication and operative for its intended purposes Withoutappreciable'awareness thereof on the part of the user.

I claim:

A bookmark device comprising an elongate clip consisting of an outsideframe and a central tongue formed integrally therewith and joined withsaid outside frame adjacent one end of the clip, a resilient tongueport-ion of transparent material, said resilient tongue portion being ofarcuate shape and joined with said clip at said one end thereof, saidresilient tongue initially extending laterally away from said one end ofthe clip and being of a length and curvature to extend from said one endof the clip in arcuate overlying relation thereto to terminate at itsfree end in closely spaced relation to said clip adjacent the oppositeend thereof, said resilient tongue being of uniform width throughout itslength and of a width substantially equal to that of said clip, saidresilient tongue being of substantially less thickness than said clip soas to be readily movable both sideways and away from said clip such asto provide no substantial impedence to intentional turning of a pageupon which the resilient tongue may rest, to be unobtrusive to the user,while at the same time being of suflicient resiliency to permit saidresilient tongue to return toward the stated closely spaced relation tosaid opposite end of the clip after each deflection which may beincidental to turning of a page.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,326 11/38Spandorfer 116119 2,328,811 9/43 Kardorif 116l19 FOREIGN PATENTS 700,14511/ 53 Great Britain.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

